Questions people ask us

Pick A Contractor is a bidding service for construction projects, from home improvement to commercial work. You post your project with a description and photos, plus any measurements, drawings and documents you have. PAC reviews it before contractors see it, and pre-screened contractors bid on it.

In areas where PAC has a local team, you can also have a PAC pro visit to measure, photograph and write up the job for you. That is the optional layout and measure service.

You compare the bids side by side and approve the one you want. PAC doesn't do the construction, so our whole job is getting you clear, comparable bids and straight answers.

Customer membership is normally $59. Right now it is free for a limited time, and you don't need a card to post a project.

Posting your project is all most jobs need. If you choose the optional layout and measure service, it has its own layout fee, separate from the price of the job. Your local office confirms the amount before charging anything, and the layout fee is non-refundable.

It is an optional service where PAC has a local team. A PAC pro meets you at the property, measures the work areas, takes photos and writes up the scope in plain language. Any drawings or documents you already have are added to the job. Contractors bid on that write-up, so each price covers the same measured work.

Most projects can be posted on your own: describe the work, add photos and any measurements you have, and PAC reviews it before contractors see it.

The layout service is worth it for complex jobs like kitchens, additions, multi-room or multi-trade work, and anything structural. It also helps when you are not sure where to begin or what your choices are, or when you want expert advice on scope, materials and the order of work.

Every contractor bids on the same measured scope, so bids compare line for line. You host one visit instead of every contractor, accurate measurements mean tighter bids and fewer surprises, and a professional write-up with photos and sketches draws more and better bids. It is ideal for busy, out-of-town and rental-property owners who can't meet several contractors.

It is available in the Youngstown area today. Other areas get it as they launch. When you post, tell us you would like it, and we will let you know when it arrives.

Every area is open for posting projects and getting bids in the meantime.

Contractors see the job details, photos and measurements, without your name or address. You see each bid by letter (Contractor A, B, C) along with ratings and past work. Once you choose a bid and PAC confirms it, we introduce you to each other.

PAC reviews every bid before it reaches you to make sure it covers the written scope and is complete. You then see the bids side by side: price, start date, how long the work will take, and each contractor's ratings, showcased projects, licenses and insurance.

Yes. A bigger job can be split into parts, for example the roof, the siding and the gutters. You can approve one contractor for one part and a different contractor for another, or approve one part now and decide on the rest later.

PAC confirms your choice and introduces you to the contractor. The contractor sends a contract for you to review and sign, and you agree on a start date and payment schedule. Your local office stays available if questions come up, and you can rate the contractor when the work is done.

Yes. PAC is organized into local areas across the country, and you join your area when you sign up with your ZIP code. Every area is open for posting projects, getting bids and contractor tools.

The PAC layout and measure visit comes to an area once enough neighbors join, and you will already be in.

Yes. Architects and designers hold a customer account, the same as an owner. Post the project with your drawings, specifications and scope, for yourself or on behalf of your client.

PAC reviews the package before contractors see it, runs the bidding, reviews every bid and gives you the bids side by side. You and your client choose.

Yes. Bidding can be open to the contractors in your area, or by invitation. For an invitation, tell us who you want invited, or ask PAC to line up qualified contractors by trade. PAC's office sets the invited list and runs the invitation, and the invited contractors bid.

Yes. Commercial owners, property managers and condo or HOA associations post projects the same way homeowners do. A project can be split into parts, for example by trade, and each part is bid separately.

A job can be shown to contractors in neighboring areas, and Nationwide handles large projects across several locations for contractors who travel. PAC contractors have the tools commercial work calls for: a schedule of values, pay applications with retainage, lien waivers, change orders and certified payroll.

Every bid you receive is a complete price for the work. The price you compare is the price you pay.

Customers pay a membership, normally $59 and free for a limited time, plus a layout fee only if they choose the optional layout visit.

Apply online. There is a one-time $100 application fee. PAC checks your licenses and insurance and walks you through the contractor agreements, then you choose a program and start bidding.

Seeing open jobs costs nothing extra. To bid, choose a program: Monthly at $100 a month, Yearly at $1,000 a year (two months free), or One bid a month at $0, where the fee is waived for one reasonable bid each month.

Jobs come to the marketplace two ways. Customers post their own, with a description, photos and any measurements, drawings and documents they have, and PAC reviews each one before it opens for bids. Where PAC runs its layout service, jobs are measured by PAC and arrive with measurements, photos, sketches and documents.

If something is unclear, ask through the job's messages and PAC gets you an answer.

PAC reviews each bid before sending it to the customer, to make sure it covers the scope and is complete. On an open bid, your company name stays private until the customer chooses a bid and PAC confirms it.

Homeowners, architects, commercial owners, property managers and condo or HOA associations. Some jobs are open to every contractor in the area who works in that trade. Others are by invitation: PAC's office sets the invited list and sends the invitation to those contractors.

Commercial projects are where the bigger tools earn their keep: a schedule of values, pay applications with retainage, lien waivers, change orders and certified payroll.

PAC confirms the choice and introduces you to the customer. Your bid becomes a contract you can send for signature, and PAC's estimating and accounting tools (job costing, invoicing, pay applications) are there to run the job.

Jobs are posted by local area. Your account belongs to one or more areas, and you see the open jobs in those areas that fit your trade. A job can also be shown to contractors in neighboring areas.

There are also Nationwide jobs: large projects across several locations, open to contractors who work anywhere in the country.

Tools to run each job from the first price to the final books: a private customer book, property measuring and price books for estimates, projects with budgets and change orders, a crew time clock, vendor bills, invoices and pay applications, and a full set of books. They work on PAC marketplace jobs and on work you find yourself.

Built into your PAC account and available to PAC contractors.

PAC keeps double-entry books for you: a chart of accounts, journal, general ledger, and a trial balance, income statement and balance sheet. Invoices, bills, payments, posted labor and payroll post to the books automatically.

If your accountant works in other software, the journal downloads as a spreadsheet file and the statements print to PDF.

Yes. Enter your trade classifications with their base and fringe rates, and PAC prices each hour from them, with overtime at 1.5 times base. On the project, pick the week and PAC builds the WH-347 from that week's posted hours. Enter each worker's withholding, finalize the week and download the PDF.

Yes. Each worker can get a personal clock link that opens in their phone's browser, with no app to install, and you can add a 4 to 6 digit PIN. They pick the job and task and clock in.

You can ask for a check-in photo and location, and set a jobsite radius so each punch shows On site or Off site. Those are flags for you to review: a weak signal or a skipped photo still clocks the worker in. Photo and location are taken once, at clock-in.